U.S. patent number 3,604,700 [Application Number 04/831,387] was granted by the patent office on 1971-09-14 for work-supporting devices.
This patent grant is currently assigned to R. Gault Developments Limited. Invention is credited to Robert Gault.
United States Patent |
3,604,700 |
Gault |
September 14, 1971 |
WORK-SUPPORTING DEVICES
Abstract
An engineering device which may serve as a work-holding device
or as a work-machining tool comprises an enclosure open at one end
at least packed with a multiplicity of rodlike elements, enabled to
grip a workpiece pushed into the mass of elements, by a wedging
action provided by a taper in the enclosure itself or by adjustable
inner walls or by small balls within a space between a closed end
of the enclosure and the inner ends of the elements and also
extending round the sides of the mass of elements, two such devices
being capable of incorporation in the jaws of a vice with the
rodlike elements in the two jaws extending towards each other, or
enabled to provide a multiplicity of teeth conforming to a profile
or contour of a workpiece by pressing the protruding ends of the
mass of elements against the workpiece with the elements inclined
to the surface of the workpieces, the elements being held in such
positions by small balls within a space between the inner ends of
the elements and a closed end of the enclosure.
Inventors: |
Gault; Robert (Sheffield,
EN) |
Assignee: |
R. Gault Developments Limited
(N/A)
|
Family
ID: |
25258942 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/831,387 |
Filed: |
June 9, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
269/288;
269/266 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B25B
1/2421 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B25B
1/00 (20060101); B25B 1/24 (20060101); B23q
003/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;269/287,266,265,288,107,108,130,131 ;24/11CT,155SD |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
28,997 |
|
1909 |
|
GB |
|
76,279 |
|
1919 |
|
OE |
|
617,720 |
|
1961 |
|
CA |
|
Primary Examiner: Juhasz; Andrew R.
Assistant Examiner: Evenson; Donald D.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A work-holding device comprising an enclosure which is open at
least at one end, a multiplicity of rodlike elements packed in said
enclosure, said rodlike elements being individually movable
lengthwise having a length enabling any of them to protrude from
and thereby be exposed at said one open end, said elements further
having a length enabling at least some of them to recede below
other of said elements, and means provided within said enclosure
for laterally urging said rodlike elements together in consequence
of movement of some of said rodlike elements inwards relative to
said enclosure, whereby a workpiece pressed into the mass of
exposed ends of some of said rodlike elements is gripped by the
other and surrounding rodlike elements being urged towards said
workpiece.
2. A work-holding device as in claim 1 wherein the rodlike elements
are hard-drawn wires.
3. A work-holding device as in claim 1, wherein a resilient band is
provided around the inside of the enclosure to prevent the rodlike
elements from falling out.
4. A work-holding device as in claim 3, wherein the resilient band
is housed in a recess round the inside of the enclosure.
5. A work-holding device as in claim 3, wherein the resilient band
is stuck around the inside of the end of the enclosure from which
the elements protrude.
6. A work-holding device comprising
a tubular enclosure open at least at one end,
a multiplicity of rodlike elements packed into said one end of the
enclosure and individually movable lengthwise and having a length
enabling any of them to protrude appreciably from the
enclosure,
the other end of the enclosure being provided with a slight inward
taper,
said elements further having a length enabling at least some of
them to recede below other of said elements,
a ring screwing on to the end of the enclosure from which the
elements protrude,
and an inwardly projecting flange on the ring for urging the
outermost elements against the taper when the ring is screwed
further on to the enclosure, to enable a workpiece embedded at
least partially into the mass of some of said rodlike elements to
be gripped by the other elements surrounding it.
7. A work-holding device as in claim 6, wherein the outside of the
ring is knurled.
8. A work-holding device as in claim 6, wherein the tapered end of
the enclosure is an open end.
9. A work-holding device as in claim 6, wherein the outside of the
enclosure is provided with at least one pair of opposed flats.
10. A work-holding device as in claim 6, wherein a tube is included
in the mass of elements.
11. A work-holding device comprising
a rectangular enclosure open at one end at least,
a multiplicity of rodlike elements packed into the open end of the
enclosure and individually movable lengthwise and having a length
enabling any of them to protrude appreciably from the
enclosure,
said elements further having a length enabling at least some of
them to recede below other of said elements,
at least one inner wall pivoted close to and parallel to the
corresponding side of the open end of the enclosure,
and a screw through the outer wall of the enclosure for adjustment
of the angle of inclination of the inner wall with respect to the
rodlike elements, to enable a workpiece embedded at least partially
into the mass of some of said rodlike elements to be gripped by the
other elements surrounding it.
12. A work-holding device as in claim 11, wherein two inner walls
and two screws are provided.
13. A work-holding device as in claim 11, wherein the end of the
enclosure remote from the end through which the rodlike elements
protrude is a closed end.
14. A work-holding device comprising
an enclosure with one open end and one closed end,
a multiplicity of rodlike elements packed into the open end of the
enclosure and individually movable lengthwise and having a length
enabling any of them to protrude appreciably from the
enclosure,
said elements further having a length enabling at least some of
them to recede below other of said elements,
and a multiplicity of small balls filling a space between the
closed end of the enclosure and the inner ends of the elements and
also extending around the sides of the mass of elements, means for
forcing said balls around said sides to enable a workpiece embedded
at least partially into the mass of some of said rodlike elements
to be gripped by the other elements surrounding it, said elements
being forced laterally towards each other by the balls forced
around the sides of the the mass of elements.
15. A work-holding device as in claim 14, wherein the inside of the
wall of the enclosure converges upwardly over at least an upper
part of its height.
16. A work-holding device as in claim 15, wherein the inside of the
open end of the enclosure has a slight taper so that the outermost
elements contact the sides of the open end right at the rim of the
enclosure, and an inward step of less than the diameter of the
balls is provided between the converging inside of the wall of the
enclosure and the tapered inside of the open end.
17. A work-holding device as in claim 14, wherein said forcing
means includes a screw protruding through the wall of the enclosure
into the space filled with balls.
Description
This invention relates to engineering devices, more particularly
for holding small or irregularly shaped workpieces, but also
applicable to the machining of workpieces.
According to the present invention, an engineering device comprises
an enclosure open at one end at least and with its cross section at
that end packed with a multiplicity of rodlike elements having a
length enabling any of them to protrude appreciable from the
enclosure, together with means for urging the elements together in
consequence of movement of some of the elements inwards relative to
the enclosure. The rodlike elements may be rods or tubes or wires,
and preferably hard drawn wires of small diameter, say 11/2 mm.,
and individually substantially rigid or only slightly resiliently
flexible, so that the elements together can simulate a contour
and/or profile by small increments.
In the primary application of the invention to a work-holding
device, a workpiece pressed into contact with the protruding ends
of the elements moves all the contacts elements into the enclosure,
while the remainder of the elements surround the workpiece and
prevent its lateral movement with respect to the device, the means
for urging the elements together being brought into play so as to
grip the workpiece through the imperceptible sideways movement of
those elements surrounding the workpiece.
In the secondary application of the invention to a work-machining
device, some or all of the elements are displaced by pressing the
protruding ends against a workpiece with the elements inclined to
the surface of the workpiece, the means for urging the elements
together being brought into play so as to hold the elements in
their set positions for the protruding ends of the elements to act
as the teeth of a rasp, file or scraper.
To prevent the rodlike elements from falling out a resilient band
may be provided round the inside of the enclosure, housed in a
recess round the inside of the wall of the enclosure or stuck round
the inside of the end of the enclosure from which the elements
protrude.
The means for urging the elements together in consequence of
movement of some of the elements inwards relative to the enclosure
may take various forms, depending on the purpose for which the
device is intended and the amount of grip required on a
workpiece.
Thus, the enclosure may be tubular and provided towards its other
end with a slight inward taper against which the outermost elements
can be urged by an inwardly flanged ring or cap screwing on to the
end from which the elements protrude, the outside of the ring
preferably being knurled. The tapered end may be an open end,
through which the elements are accessible for pushing free from the
taper to restore them to their initial position, but in general
restoration of the elements to their initial positions can be
effected by banging the device inverted on to a suitable surface,
e.g., a workbench. A rubber O-ring is preferably provided in a
groove round the inside of the tubular enclosure to prevent the
elements from falling out of either end, and the outside of the
enclosure is preferably provided with at least one pair of opposed
flats, to enable the device to be gripped in a vise. A tube may be
inclined in the mass of elements, to permit drilling through a
workpiece appropriately located in the device.
Alternatively, the enclosure may be rectangular and be provided
with at least one inner wall (but preferably at least two) pivoted
close to and parallel to the corresponding side of the open end of
the enclosure, with a screw through the outer wall of the enclosure
for adjustment of the angle of inclination of the inner wall to the
rodlike elements, to set the amount of grip afforded by the device
on a workpiece pushed into the mass of elements. The other end of
the enclosure may be open or closed.
Again, the enclosure may be circular, rectangular or any other
shape, with its other end (i.e., remote from the end from which the
rodlike elements protrude) closed, and a space between that closed
end and the inner ends of the elements and also extending round the
sides of the mass of elements appreciably filled with small balls
(e.g., shot, preferably of a diameter about 1 1/2 times the
diameter of the rodlike elements so that as some of the elements
are forced inwards by a workpiece the displaced balls force other
balls round the sides of the mass of elements and/or into more
pressing contact with the outermost elements to create the grip on
the workpiece. The inside of the wall of the enclosure preferably
converges upwardly over at least an upper part of its height (say
10.degree. each side) so as to provide a wedging effect of the
balls round the sides of the mass of elements. The inside of the
open end of the enclosure may have a slight taper (say 2.degree.
each side) so that the outermost elements contact the sides of the
open end right at the rim of the enclosure, but an inward step of
less than the diameter of the balls is preferably provided between
the converging inside of the wall of the enclosure and the tapered
inside of the open end to prevent any balls being trapped in the
open end of the enclosure. A screw may protrude through the wall of
the enclosure, into the space filled with balls, to permit further
displacement of balls for adjustment of the grip on a workpiece or
to enable the load to be taken off the balls for release of a
workpiece.
Because the balls fill the space completely when a workpiece is
being gripped, the balls become in effect a solid backing for the
rodlike elements, and therefore, for the workpiece itself, and two
such devices may be incorporated in the jaws of a vise with their
rodlike elements extending towards each other, for exceptionally
firm gripping of a workpiece of irregular shape not suited to
gripping in an ordinary vise with uniformly profile jaws.
Five embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in
which
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a small circular work-holding
device;
FIG. 2 is a plan of FIG. 1 with a workpiece held in the device;
FIG. 3 is a section on the line III--III of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a larger rectangular work-holding
device;
FIG. 5 is a plan of FIG. 4 with a workpiece held in the device;
FIG. 6 is a section on the line VI--VI of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 corresponds to FIG. 6 but is a section through another
embodiment of rectangular work-holding device;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a vise in accordance with the
invention;
FIG. 9 is a plan of FIG. 8 partly in section and with a workpiece
shown held in the vise;
FIG. 10 is a part sectional side elevation of the vise, the section
being on the line X--X of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is an elevation of a power scraper incorporating another
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 12 is a fragmentary longitudinal section of the operative end
of the power scraper of FIG. 11, and
FIG. 13 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the embodiment of
FIGS. 11 and 12 in action.
In FIGS. 1 to 3 a work-holding device 1 comprises a tubular
enclosure 2 with one (upper) end 3 packed with a multiplicity of
rodlike elements 4 having a length enabling any of them to protrude
appreciably from the enclosure, the elements being prevented from
falling out by a rubber O-ring 5 housed in a groove 6 round the
inside of the enclosure. The other end 7 of the enclosure 2 is
provided with a slight inward taper 8 against which the outermost
elements can be urged by an inwardly flanged ring or cap 9 screwing
on to the end 3 of the enclosure, the outside 10 of the cap being
knurled to afford a good grip.
With the outermost elements urged against the taper 8, as shown in
FIG. 3, a workpiece 11, pressed into contact with the ends of some
of the elements protruding from the end 3 of the enclosure 2 so as
to make them recede below other of said elements is gripped through
the imperceptible sideways or lateral movement of said other
elements surrounding the workpiece.
A tube 12 is included in the mass of elements, to permit a hole 13
to be bored through the workpiece by a drill 14, as is also shown
in FIG. 3.
The elements 4 can be pushed free from the taper, to release the
workpiece 11 and to restore the elements to their initial position,
but restoration of the elements to their initial position can be
effected by banging the device 1 inverted on to a suitable surface,
e.g., a workbench, after the workpiece has been pulled out.
The outside of the enclosure is provided with pairs of opposed
flats 15, formed by the faces of a hexagon, to enable the device 1
to be gripped in a vise.
In FIGS. 4 to 6 a work-holding device 16 comprises a rectangular
enclosure 2 with one (upper) end 3 open and packed with a
multiplicity or rodlike elements 4, the other (lower) end 7 being
closed, and a space between that closed end and the inner ends of
the elements and also extending round the sides of the mass of
elements is appreciably filled with small balls 17, so that as some
of the elements 4 are forced inwards by a workpiece 11 pressed into
the protruding ends of the elements the displaced balls force other
balls round the sides of the mass of elements and/or into more
pressing contact with the outermost elements to create a grip on
the workpiece.
The inside of the wall of the enclosure converges upwardly at 18
each side at an angle of 10.degree. each side, so as to provide a
wedging effect of the balls 17 round the sides of the mass of
elements. The inside 19 of the open end 3 of the enclosure has a
taper of 2.degree. each side, so that the outermost elements
contact the sides of the open end right at the rim of the
enclosure, but an inward stop 20 between the converging inside 18
of the enclosure and the tapered inside 19 of the open end prevents
any balls being trapped in the open end of the enclosure.
A screw 21 protrudes through the wall of the enclosure 2, to permit
further displacement of balls 17 for adjustment of of the grip on
the workpiece 11 or to enable the load to be taken off the balls
for release of the workpiece.
Because the balls 17 fill the space completely when a workpiece is
being gripped, the balls become in effect a solid backing for the
rodlike elements, and therefore, for the workpiece itself.
In FIG. 7 a work-holding device 22 has a rectangular enclosure 2
with an open upper end 3 and closed lower end 7, and a multiplicity
of rodlike elements 4 prevented from falling out (if the device
should be inverted) by a resilient band 23 round the inside of the
open end provided with a hard facing 24. Inner walls 25 are pivoted
close to and parallel to the corresponding sides of the open end 3,
and screws 26 through the outer walls of the enclosure 2 enable the
angles of inclination of the inner walls to the rodlike elements 4
to be adjusted, to set the amount of grip afforded by the device on
a workpiece 11 pushed into the mass of elements.
In FIGS. 8 to 10 a vise 27 has a fixed jaw 28 and a movable jaw 29
slidable along guides 30 on a base 31 under the control of a screw
32 rotatable by a handcrank 33, and each jaw 28, 29 comprises a
device similar in principle to that of FIGS. 4 to 6, like reference
numerals denoting like parts, with the rodlike elements of the jaws
extending towards each other so as to be able to grip,
exceptionally firmly, an irregularly shaped workpiece 11 not suited
to gripping in an ordinary vise with uniformly profiled jaws.
In FIGS. 11 to 13 a power scraper 34 has its reciprocatory
connecting rod 35 engaged with a device 36 according to the
invention comprising a sheet metal enclosure 2 with an inclined
open end 3 packed with a multiplicity of rodlike elements 4, which
are prevented from falling out by a rubber band 5 in a groove 6
formed by a bulge in the wall of the enclosure. The other end 7 of
the enclosure is closed, and the bulge for the groove 6 enables the
device to be retained in a carrier 37 reciprocable in the nose 38
of the scraper 34 by means of the rod 35. A space between the inner
ends of the elements 4 and the closed end 7 of the enclosure is
filled with small balls 17. The protruding ends of the elements are
pressed against a workpiece 11 with the elements inclined to the
surface 39 of the workpiece, for some or all of the elements to be
displaced so that the protruding ends act as the teeth of a rasp,
file or scraper conforming to the profile of the surface of the
workpiece. Those balls 17 that are displaced by the inner ends of
the elements 4 bear on the sides of the inner ends of the elements
to hold the elements in their set positions, but firm endwise
pressure on the leading protruding ends is sufficient to loosen the
balls and free the elements when a change in profile is to be
accommodated.
* * * * *